Why K-State women’s basketball opened NCAA Tournament quest with burst of energy
March Madness happens in different ways. On the men’s side, no team gets to play at home. The better teams are fortunate if their fans have only a couple hours of travel time.
Early rounds of the Division I women’s event are planted in home buildings. The NCAA scribbles in some provisions of neutrality. Locker rooms go without the branding of the regular tenant. Facilities of the host team must be made available to all teams.
But no matter how neutral Bramlage Coliseum was dressed on Friday, there was no mistaking the distinct home-court advantage in Kansas State’s 78-65 victory over Portland in the first round.
Look at it this way. After the first quarter, Portland outscored the Wildcats by a bucket. But Kansas State got off such a strong start that the cushion was enough; the Wildcats opened with a 25-10 lead.
Guard Gabby Gregory felt the loud support, but she’s used to playing with emotion. She noticed the crowd supplying juice for teammates who usually keep things on an even keel.
“We saw some of that today,” Gregory said. “That crowd is creating that, and it’s very helpful for our team. When we have a great crowd like that, it makes it easier whenever we do make a mistake to go to the next play, because we have huge support from the crowd.”
The attendance of 9,642 was the largest this season in Bramlage, where the Wildcats put together a 15-1 home record. It was reminiscent of a stretch about two decades ago when the Wildcats averaged at least 8,000 fans to watch some of the program’s most successful teams.
How might the crowd have had a direct impact Friday? Twice in the first quarter Portland committed shot-clock violations in a series of three possessions. Noisy K-State fans meant the players couldn’t hear their bench or fans count down the seconds.
When fourth-seeded Kansas State opened a 7-0 lead on a 3-pointer by Jaelyn Glenn and pair of buckets by Ayoka Lee, Portland called a timeout to calm things down. It didn’t work. The margin swelled, reaching 20 in the second quarter.
“It can go one of two ways,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said. “You can come out a little tight or you can come out energized. I think we saw our group was excited to play and played at a faster pace in the first quarter.”
After that, the game evened out and bogged down into the type of contest that favored the upset-minded No. 13 seed. Portland played to its strength, pressing off made baskets. It was enough to prevent a blowout, and a few times the margin closed to nine.
But Kansas State kept its distance largely on the play of Lee and Gregory. When an empty possession would threaten the Wildcats’ comfort level, Gregory knocked down a jumper and finished with a season-best 22 points.
A banner hangs in Bramlage to honor Lee’s NCAA record 61-point game two years ago. She didn’t get that, but 21 points and nine rebounds made her to the game’s dominant inside force.
But on this day, the biggest influence on the outcome were those who made their way on a windy weekday afternoon to nearly fill the building. A few rows of bleachers at the top of one end zone were the only noticeable empties. On a neutral floor, perhaps the Wildcats’ first-quarter effort flattens out, and the upstart underdog creates a March memory.
Kansas State ended those hopes in the first quarter and moves into Sunday’s second round with a Sweet 16 date on the line. There’s only one way for the environment to improve.
“I can’t wait to play in front of a sellout crowd on Sunday,” Gregory said.